Types of Frosting

No cake is complete with out a healthy coating of frosting. We have come a long way from the standard royal icing, these days you can get a cake with just about any flavor or color icing you want. What exactly are all of these types of frosting and why do we have so many, you ask? Well they each serve a different purpose. Lets look at an overview of the most common types of frosting.

Buttercream Frosting

Buttercream frosting in my opinion is the easiest frosting to make and it has many uses. It not only allows you to make beautiful designs but also holds layers together really well. Buttercream is made up of butter, powdered sugar, flavorings, and liquid (usually milk). My favorite recipe for buttercream is from Wilton.

Fondant

Many wedding cakes are finished with a layer of fondant to give a silky smooth finish. Fondant can be made many ways, but my favorite (which I think is also the easiest and cheapest) is made with marshmallows, water, powdered sugar and shortening. The end result is an easy to work with ball that will roll out easily. The frosting will be much stiffer than buttercream and not as sweet. My favorite recipe for marshmallow fondant is here.

Royal Icing

This smooth, hard-drying icing is perfect for making decorations that last. I believe it is more common for use on cookies than cake except for using it is as a "cement" to fasten decorations together. It is made by mixing powdered sugar with milk or water. A good recipe for royal icing can be found here.